Apparatus for tempering soles



April 11, 1944- w. E. PHI NNEY 2,346,328

I APPARATUS FOR TEMPERING SOLES Filed Sept. 22, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet l April 11, 1944. w. E. PHINNEY APPARATUS FOR TEMPERINGI'SOVLES Filed Sept. 22-, 1941 2 'Sheet s-Sheet 2 Patented Apr. 11, 1944 APPARATUS FOR. TEMPERING SOLES William E. Phinney, Cambridge, Mass., assignor to United Shoe Machinery Corporation, Flemington, N. J., a corporation of New Jersey.

Application September 22, 1941, Serial No. 411,827

16 Claims. (Cl. 12-1) This invention relates to the treatment of unattached leather soles with water-vapor and provides improved apparatus for administering successive stages of treatment.

The objects of the invention are concerned with soles of two categories, namely, those that require only a slight degree of temper for a short period of time, and those that require a greater degree of temper and require it for a longer time. Soles to be attached with cement only are in the first of these categories, while soles for Littleway shoes and McKays are of the second category. The essential difference to be considered, so far as tempering is concerned, is that cemented soles require only enough tempering to satisfy the demands of sole-conforming, while soles to be sewn require more tempering to satisfy the demands of channeling, channel-opening, stitching and channel-closing.

The invention herein set forth provides an improved apparatus for tempering soles of both categories, but to satisfy the greater demands of soles to be channeled and sewn it provides for a stage of treatment that may be used or omitted without disturbing the routine of the other treatment.

The tempering treatment with which the present invention is concerned provides for subjecting the soles to consecutive stages of treatment with water-vapor at different temperatures, the first of which may be as high as 140 F. and the last of which need not be below the temperature of the work-room and will preferably be at the same temperature as that of the work-room. If the tempering procedure provides five stages of treatment with water-vapor, the temperatures thereof may be as follows: 140 F., 120 F., 105 F., 90 F., and finally, a stage at room temperature. The total time devoted to the tempering treatment may be regulated according to the requirements of the leather. Moreover, the temperatures above mentioned are given merely as an example, since strict adherence to them is not necessary, nor is it necessary to provide the number of stages above mentioned. The essential considerations, so far as temperatures are concerned, are that the first stage of treatment with vapor should be nearly, if not quite, as high as it can be without damaging the leather, and that the temperature of the final stage should be so nearly the same as the temperature of the workroom that the tempered condition will not be dissipated too rapidly by evaporation when the soles are transferred from the final stage of vapjo into the atmosphere of the'work-room.

Experience has demonstrated that the tempering effect of water-vapor is more rapid at high temperatures than at low temperatures. It has also demonstrated that evaporation of the moisture from the soles in the atmosphere of the work-room is more rapid if the temperature of the soles is above that of the work-room when they are exposed in the latter than if their temperature is the same as that of the work-room at the time of exposure. These conditions present two conflicting problems, one of which is to bring about the tempered condition as speedily as possible and the other of which is to retard the process of evaporation while the soles are exposed in the atmosphere of the work-room after undergoing treatment with relatively hot vapor.

The improved apparatus herein set forth provides for rapid tempering by supplying the vapor in all the stages except the last at temperatures above that of the work-room and by supplying the vapor for the final stage at the same temperature as that of the work-room. Moreover, it provides for maintaining the soles continuously in an atmosphere of vapor throughout the entire series of changes of temperature, and thereby preserves all the vapor accumulated by the soles in each stage of treatment.

In addition to the consecutive stages of treatment with vapor as above pointed out, the apparatus provides for a stage of treatment with water in the liquid form which, though not indispensable, is nevertheless desirable for soles to be channeled and stitched, in that it will accelerate the tempering eifect of the vapor treatment that follows it and. extend the duration of the tempered condition in the work-room. 7

Still another improvement provides for utilizing the above-mentioned stage of treatment with water in such a way as to wet only the shanks and the foreparts of the soles without wetting the heel seat portions thereof. Little, if any, tempering of the heel seat portions is necessary or desirable, but because channeling, stitching and channel-closing require the tempered condition to last from one-half hour to two hours the wetting of foreparts and shanks is beneficial for soles to be stitched. On the-other-hand, soles to be attached with cement require the tempered condition to last only long enough to survive sole-conforming, cement-activating and soleattaching. I a

A feature of the apparatus consists in a conveyor-provided with a series of-compartments, each adapted to enclose a group of soles man atmosphere of vapor and to transfer them and their enveloping atmosphere of water-vapor to successive treatment stations arranged in a series. The apparatus also includes means for supplying water to the several stations, means for heating the water at some of the stations, means for accelerating the flow of vapor from the water to the soles at those stations where vapor is to be used, and means for regulating the depth of immersion at the station where the shanks and foreparts may be immersed in water.

Referring to the drawings, v I 7 Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a turret machine equipped with means for utilizing the method of treatment herein set forth,- hree of the work-.

receiving compartments being represented in section; V

Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the machine represented in Fig. 1, the plane of the section being indicated by the line 11-11 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an elevation of a detail of construction between the arrows IIl?-'III in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a vertical section of the principal elements that form one ofthe work-receivingcompartments, the plane of the section being indicated in Fig. 1 by line IVIV, but a portion of the structure being broken out to condense the showing into a small space;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view ofone of the carriers in which a series of soles are arranged and maintained in the desired position for treatment; and

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a typical sole for which the method of treatment herein described is intended:

The illustrated machine is designed to provide a circular series ofsix treatment stations and a domed cover comprising six closed work-receiving compartments; but the number of stations and compartments may be more or less than six if desired; In Fig. l the treatment stations are indicatedat A; B; C; D; E; and F, without regard to structural detail. U Station A is the one at which the soles are placed in the work-receiving compartments and removed after traveling once around the circuit of: stations. The operator will turn the turret step by step in acounterclockwise direction and let each compartment dwell at each of the treatment stations; The length of the periods of-dwell will b'e-governed according to the quality and requirements of the soles undergoing treatment but under some conditions the lengthofthe periods need not exceedflve minutes which is more than enough to heat the soles or to reduce their-temperature, as the case may be; 7

Referring to Fig. 2; the work-receiving compartments are formed in part by a circular stationary platform Ill and in part by a conveyor preferably in the form of a rotary turret and arranged above and in contiguous relation-to the platform. The turretcomp'rises a, hub II and six equally spaced plates I2 of sheet metal affixed thereto and extending to the periphery of the platform ID. The hubis arranged to turn on a central'p'ost or pivot I3 affixed to a supporting column I4 to which the platform Ill is also affixed. The outer portions of'the' plates I2 are connected by relatively thinplates of sheet metal that form the front walls, back walls, and top walls of the compartments; while the plates I2 constitute partitions between the compartments. Each compartment is provided with a work-receivihg opening and a movable closure or door I i to close it. The-door has hinge connection I5 with the top wall and may be raised and turned back as represented at the left of Fig. 2 to permit insertion and removal of work-receptacles hereinafter described. The compartments may be lined with absorbent sheets such as felt to absorb condensate, but such lining is omitted to simplify the showing of the other elements. Each door I4 is provided with a handle I3.

Referring to Fig. 3, the outer end of each partition plate I2 is provided with a trundle roll ll arranged to roll on the margin of the platform II] to support the turret and the load carried thereby, the extremities of the plates I2 projecting slightly beyond the work-receiving compartments to provide for attaching the fixtures I8 in which the rolls are journaled. The lower edges of the movable walls of the compartments are thereby spaced about /a inch from the platform I0 to provide cracks through which the surplus vapor may escape from the compartments after it has flowed between and around the soles. These cracks relieve the pressure of compressed air by which the vapor is circulated between and around the soles before it escapes.

A detail of construction shown in Fig. 4 may be utilized to restrict the escape of vapor between the turret and the platform I0. In this figure the sheet metal plate I9 constitutes the rear wall ofa compartment and the gap between its lower edge and the platform is occupied by the horiz'ontal flange of a thin sheet metal strip 20 of L'-section. The vertical flange of this strip is maintained in lapped relation With the wall I9 by a plurality of clips, one of which is indicated at 2I. The strip 20 is not clamped by the clips but is free to rest on the platform Ill and its effect is similar to that of a Weatherstrip.

At station A an opening is provided in the platform In for a water-tank 25. At each of the other stations the platform is provided with similar openings and these are equipped with vapor-generators each of which includes a watertank 26 and other equipmehtto be described.

The tank 25 and all the tanks 26 are arranged in a circular series and allare supplied automatically with water from a common supply tank 21 into which water under pressure is delivered by a supply pipe 28 and maintained at a constant level by a ball co'ck 29 operated by a float 30. The water delivered into the supply tank 21 may now by gravity through distributing pipes 3| into the tarik25 and each of the tanks 26. This distributing means automatically maintains the water in all the tanks ata constant level.

Each of the tanks 26 at stations B, C, D, and E contains an electric heating unit 32 of the immersion type and a regulatable thermostat 33 also of the immersion type. The tank at station F does not require any heating unit or thermostat because the water at that station is preferably maintained at room temperature. For purposes of description it-will be assumed that the several thermostats 33 will be adjusted to maintain the water at station B at a temperature of 140 F.; that at station C at 120 F., that at st'ationD at 105. F., and that at station E at FL; but in practice these temperatures will bev regulated according to circumstances such as the characteristics of the leather and the degree of temper desired by the user.

Each of the tanks 26is provided with a pipe 35, the purpose of which is to discharge compressed air into the water. The lower side of this pipe has many small perforations indicated by dots at station D in Fig. l. 'A central supply pipe 36 connected with a source of compressed air is provided with a regulating valve 31 and adistributing head 38. Distributing pipes 39 conduct the air from the head 38 to the several perforated pipes 35 immersed in the water. Large quantities of water-vapor may be transferred by the air from the tanks 26 to the soles located above them as a result of opening the valve 31, and the temperature of the vapor at four ofthe stations may be regulated by adjusting the handles 34 of the thermostats 33. At station F compressed air at room temperature is discharged in water at room temperature in the tank 26. The resultant vapor mingles with the vapor remaining in the sole-compartment from the treatment at the preceding station and reduces its temperature to that of the work-room.

Fig. illustrates a work-receptacle provided with IS individual stalls each intended to receive two soles, although only one sole is shown in each stall. The end walls 40 are solid plates of bronze but the sides 4|, bottom 42 and par titions 43 are made of foraminous material such as coarse bronze netting to afford free access of water and vapor to the stalls. The distance between the side walls 4! is little more than the width of the widest sole. Consequently, when the soles are placed toe end down they will be maintained in a position that Wil1 provide for immersing their foreparts and shanks in the water at station A (Fig. 2) without immersing their heel seat portions or their heel breast flaps 44 (Fig. 6).

Each compartment of the turret carries a pair of horizontal supporting bars 45 of L-section, but portions of the horizontal flanges 46 are cut away to provide gaps 41 (Fi 1, station A) of extent slightly greater than the narrow dimensions of the work-receptacles. The gaps 4'! are so located as to stand in register with the immersion tank 25 at station A. Consequently, a work-receptacle may be lowered through the gaps 41 to immerse the foreparts and shanks of the soles as represented at A in Fig. 2. On the other hand, when the receptacles are laid on their sides as represented at D in Fig. 2 they will bridge the gaps 41 and lie on the supporting ledges provided by the horizontal flanges 4B and will thus be supported slightly above the platform It The foreparts and shanks of the soles will thereafter dwell in register with each of the vaporizing tanks 26 but the heel portions will overlie the margin of the platform H1 and not receive the full effect of the vapor.

The end walls 40 of each receptacle are proimmersion tank 25 until the two nuts 50 engage the supporting bars 45. The foreparts ofthe soles now being irmnersed may remain in the water for a brief interval of time, the length of which will be governed by the operator with regard to the quality of the soles and the degree of temper desired. The time of immersion will usually be less than one minute. At the conclusion of the immersion period, the operator will lift the receptacle out of the immersion tank and lay it on one side on the flanges 46 in such a position that the foreparts of the soles will overlie the vaporizing tanks 26 at the other treatment stations. On the other hand, if the soles are not to be channeled or stitched but are to be attached only with cement, the step of immersing their foreparts may be omitted because the efiect to be derived from the treatment with vapor will condition the soles as much as desired for conforming and attaching. Having placed a receptacle on its side on the flanges 46 the operator will close the corresponding hinged cover 14 and turn the turret manually in a direction to shift the new lot of soles from station A to station B. Another compartment of the turret will thus be shifted from station F (the final treatment station) to the loading station A Where the operator will open its cover I4, remove the loaded receptacle, and insert another containing. untreated soles.

Although the individual stalls of the receptacles are capable of accommodating. as many as five or six soles, the preferred technique is to place only two soles in each and to arrange their flesh sides toward each other to avoid masking their grain surfaces. This manner of placing the soles will insure uniform treatment of the grain sides of all the soles in one receptacle vided with adjustable means arranged to regulate the depth of immersion of the soles in the water at station A. For this purpose a vertical screw 48 is tightly secured to a crossbar ,or handle 49 and is provided with a thumb-nut 50. A segment of the nut projects far enough beyond the plane of the outer face of the wall 40 to overlap the vertical flange of the corresponding supporting bar 45.

In practice, the operator may be provided with one or more extra receptacles to be loaded and unloaded at a bench near station A. After removing a receptacle containing treated soles he will pick up another containing soles about to be treated, the handles 49 being conveniently located for such handling. If the ingoing soles are to be channeled and stitched after being tempered the lower part of their receptacle will be let down through the gaps 41 and into the by the vapor supplied from each of the vaporizing tanks 26.

The electric wiring for the heaters at stations B, C, D and E is similar to that represented in Fig. 2 in which a junction box 55 is shown as mounted on the supporting column l4 and supplied with current through a cable 56. A shunt circuit 51 extends from the junction box to each of the electric heating units 32 and the corresponding thermostat 33. A master switch not shown, may be provided on the supply side of the junction box 55.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is: I

1. An apparatus for treating unattached leather soles comprising individual sources of watervapor at different temperatures, means for supporting the soles to be treated, said supporting means being movable to carry the soles into cooperative relation with said sources of vapor successively, and means arranged to enclose an atmosphere of vapor and a group of soles enveloped therein continuously throughout their-period of treatment by the vapor derived from said sources, said enclosing means being formed in part by a structure movable with the soles and in part by a stationary structure bridging the. gaps between said sources of vapor.

2. An apparatus for treating unattached leather soles comprising a seriesof generators each adapted to supply water-vapor, one or'more of said generators including heating means, and a conveyor provided with means forming a series of compartments for enclosing soles, said compartments having-open bottoms and being ar ranged to travel over said generators successively'to receive vapor from them.

3. A sole-treating apparatus comprising a conveyor provided with means forming a series of compartments each having an open bottom, means in said compartments for carrying soles, a series of stationary vaporizingmeans underlying the path of travel of said compartments and each arranged to supply water-vapor to a compartment in register with it, and heating means associated with one or more of said vaporizing means.

4. A sole-treating apparatus comprising a conveyor provided With'means forming a series of compartments each having an open bottom, means in said compartments for carrying soles, a series of water-tanks having open tops underlying the path of travel of said compartments to emit water-vapor into said compartments, and means arranged to discharge a gaseous fluid in the water in one or more of said tanks.

5. A sole-treating apparatus comprising a conveyor provided with means forming a series of compartments each having an open bottom, means in said compartments for carrying soles, a series of water-tanks underlying the path of travel of said compartments and having open tops arranged to afiord communication with the open bottoms of the compartments, means arranged to supply Water to said tanks, means arranged to heat the water in one or more of said tanks, and means arranged to discharge a gaseous fluid in the water in one or more of said tanks.

6. A sole-treating apparatus comprising a series of water-tanks having open tops, heating means arranged to heat the water in one or more of said tanks, means for regulating the temperature of the Water so heated, means for producing bubbles in one or more of said tanks by discharging a gaseous fluid in the water in them, and movable means arranged to carry soles over said tanks successively and expose them to the Vapor supplied from the tanks.

7. A sole-treating apparatus comprisin a series of Water-tanks having ope'n tops, heating means arranged to heat the water in one or more oi said tanks, means for regulating the temperature of the water so heated, means for producing bubbles in one or more of said tanks by discharging a gaseous fluid in the water in them, movable means arranged to carry soles over said tanks successively and expose them to the vapor supplied from said tanks, and means arranged to enclose the soles and the vapor in which they are enveloped.

8. A sole-treating apparatus comprising a turret arranged to be rotated about a vertical axis, a circular series of work-carries supported thereby "to travel in a common path about said axis, a

series of stationary means arranged to supply Water-vapor to the soles insaid carriers at 5110- cessive points in said path, and means arranged to enclose said work-carriers and the vapor at and between said points. 1

r 9. A sole-treating apparatus comprising a turret arranged to'be rotated abouta vertical axis, a plurality of individual work-carriers, means on said turret for supporting said work-carriers in a circular series at uniformly spaced intervals about said axis, an immersion tank adapted to receive said work-carriers one at a time and located below but adjacent to a point in their path of travel about said axis, a series of stationary means located at intervals about said axis to supply watervapor to the soles in the carriers at other points in said path, and means arranged to enclose said work-carriers and the vapor at and between said other points.

10. An apparatus for treating unattached leather soles comprising a turret arranged to be rotated about a vertical axis, means carried thereby for supporting soles and maintaining them on edge, means for supporting said turret, a plurality of stationary open tanks arranged in a circular series under the path of the soles, means for supplying water to said tanks, means for flowing air through the water in said tanks, means arranged to heat the water in one or more of said tanks, and means arranged to enclose the soles and the water-vapor supplied to them from said tanks.

11. An apparatus for treating unattached leather soles comprising a plurality of open tanks arranged in a circular series at a common level, means for supplying Water to said tanks, means arranged to heat the water in one or more of said tanks, means for flowing a gaseous fluid through the water in one or more of said tanks, a turret rotatable about a vertical axis concentric with respect to said series of, tanks, means for supporting said turret, means carried by said turret for carrying soles across the tops of said tanks and exposing them to the vapor rising therefrom, and means for enclosing the soles and the vapor to exclude the air of the work-room throughout a range of travel coextensive with said series of tanks.

12. A sole-treating apparatus comprising a turret rotatable about a vertical axis, means for supporting said turret, a work-receptacle having foraminous walls, a plurality of stationary tanks located in a circular series around said axis and having open tops, means for supplying water to said tanks, heating means arranged to heat the Water in one or more of said tanks, means arranged to flow a gaseou fluid through the water in said tanks and thereby expel water-vapor through their open tops, means carried by said turret for carrying said receptacle over and adjacent to said tanks successively, and means for enclosing said receptacle and the vapor supplied to it by said tanks.

13. A sole-treating apparatus comprising a turret rotatable about a vertical axis, means for supporting said turret, a work-receptacle having foraminous walls, a stationary immersion tank located adjacent to said turret and having an open top to receive said receptacle, means for supplying Water to said tank, cooperative means carried by said turret and said receptacle to limit the depth to which the latter may descend in said tank, means carried by said turret for carrying said receptacle above the top of said tank, and means for supplying water-vapor to said receptacle at other points to which the latter is carried. by said turret.

14. A sole-treating apparatus comprising a turret rotatable about a vertical axis, means for supporting said turret, a plurality of water-tanks arranged in a series around said axis, means forming a circular series of compartments carried by said turret and arranged to travel in a common path over and adjacent to said tanks, said compartments being open at the bottom, a plurality of individual work-receptacles, one for each of said compartments, means in each of said compartments for carrying one of said receptacles, means arranged to supply water simultaneously to said tanks, heating means arranged to heat the water in one or more of said tanks, means for flowing a gaseous fluid through the water in one or more of said tanks and thereby expelling water-vapor from their open tops, and stationary means under said compartments and adjacent to their bottoms to exclude room atmosphere from them.

15. A sole-treating apparatus comprising a turret rotatable about a vertical axis, means for supporting said turret, means forming a circular series of compartments carried by said turret each having a bottom opening, a top opening and a closure for the latter, a plurality of individual work-receptacles each adapted to be lowered through the top and bottom openings of a compartment, a stationary immersion tank arranged to receive a receptacle so lowered, means in said compartments for carrying said receptacles, and means for supplying heated water-vapor to said compartments successively in consequence of rotating said turret.

16. An apparatus for treating unattached leather soles comprising a stationary platform and a domed structure contiguously related to form a closed compartment, the domed structure being movable along the platform and the latter having an extent to provide a series of separate stations for said compartment, the platform also having an opening at each of said stations, individual sources of water vapor at difierent temperatures from which the supplies of vapor are delivered through said openings respectively, and means carried by said domed structure to support a group of soles in the compartment formed thereby.

WILLIAM E. PHINNEY. 

